


Lost and Scared but Not Alone

by FlightsOfDragons



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Book References, Gen, Hugs not drugs, Mild Reddie, Or sex, WTF Stephen King, group hugs fix everything, non-sexual physical intimacy, or getting lost in the sewers, they’re just KIDS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23397184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightsOfDragons/pseuds/FlightsOfDragons
Summary: After beating It for the first time, the Losers get lost in the sewers.A re-write of the gross sewer scene so it’s nice and not gross. No sex.
Kudos: 4





	Lost and Scared but Not Alone

They wandered the dark tunnels for an hour and a half. Bill was scared. He remembered his father saying there were no maps of the sewers. He felt his panic rising and struggled to push it back. But there was no denying it. They were lost.

“What do we do now?” Stan asked with a trembling voice.

“I wish we had a flashlight... or even a candle...” Ben said, hiccuping an aborted sob halfway through. This scared Bill more than anything, because this meant Ben, who he looked up to for being steadfast and strong, was on the edge of losing it. 

Bill knew they’d soon look to him to figure this out, because he’d been leading the group, and people turn to their leaders when they’re scared.

“What now, Bill?” asked Mike, finally voicing it out loud.

“I d-d-don’t kn-kn-know.”

“Well why don’t you know! You got us into this!” yelled Stan, the first to crack.

“Hey, relax, don’t take it out on Bill,” Mike tried to reason. It only made Stan turn on him. 

“YOU relax! We’re lost and no one’s going to find us! We’re alone down here!”

“We might not be alone, I bet Henry’s down here somewhere too,” Richie pointed out.

“I forgot about him,” Eddie moaned, “Of course he is, of _course_ , we could run into him at _any time.”_

“Don’t you have any ideas bill? Your dad works down here. Dont you have any ideas at all?” Ben pleaded.

“At least if we die down here, nobody’ll have to worry about burying us,” Richie joked.

Normally when Richie was out of line, the losers would let him know with a ‘beep beep.’ But Bill, feeling guilty for being the one who got them into this mess, finally cracked. 

“Just SHUT UP, Richie! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

Richie shut up immediately. This was not a gentle, ‘Hey dude, be quiet, you’re making people uncomfortable,’ this was blatantly hurtful.

“Guys, stop! We won’t get out if we’re falling apart and fighting like this!” Beverly shouted.

“So what do we do?” Ben asked her.

“....I have an idea,” she said, with a _shush_ of fabric and the sound of a zipper.

“B-Bev, what-?” Bill started.

“I love you guys and I don’t want us to fall apart. I know something that might help. Something that’ll bring us closer.”

“B-b-Bev, y-you can’t m-m-m-mean-“

“I do. “

“What are you talking about?” Mike asked in confusion.

“I think she’s talking about sex,” Stan answered.

“What?!” screeched Eddie.

“I am.” Another shush of fabric. “Who’s first?”

“I...” Ben spoke up nervously, “I don’t want my first to be... here. Not like this.” 

Stan made a noise of agreement. “Yeah... yeah, no way, not here, in the sewers, what the fuck, how many infections in horrible places-“ 

They all shuddered at that thought and the bickering began again.

Eddie felt Richie, who had been uncharacteristically silent through the exchange, shift and turn around beside him. Eddie automatically reached out to comfort him, feeling for his hand in the dark. Richie instantly responded to the touch, curling in closer to Eddie.

As his best friend, Eddie knew the best way to calm Richie in any context was through physical contact. Bumping their shoulders together, holding hands, hugging, cuddles. Richie thrived on attention, and the closeness of another person touching him was always enough to bring him back down to Earth. 

Eddie, himself, felt more grounded since he had taken Richie’s hand. The realization made Eddie speak up. 

“I think you have the right idea, Bevvie.”

The others paused incredulously.

“Not, uh, the whole thing, but with the physical contact,” he clarified.

Bill immediately thought of Richie, and realized with a start that he had not heard from him since he’d snapped.

“W-w-wait, wh-where’s Richie?”

“Oh, I’m just over here cuddling my spaghetti,” Richie replied, wrapping his arms around Eddie.

“Can I join?” Mike asked, suddenly realizing how desperate he was for some form of physical contact.

Soon the seven of them were wrapping up in a big group hug, holding each other, feeling each other. Affirming _You’re here, I’m here. We’re here. We are not alone. We can do this together._

**Author's Note:**

> People make bad choices when they're mad or scared or stressed, but throw a little love their way and you'll bring out their best. True love brings out the best.


End file.
